Pep Guardiola has hailed the importance of Manchester City's 3-1 win against Leicester City on Saturday in preparation for a "final" clash with title rivals Arsenal later this month.
The Citizens raced into a three-goal lead in the first 25 minutes at the Etihad Stadium courtesy of a stunning opener from John Stones and a brace from goal machine Erling Braut Haaland, who has now drawn level with Mohamed Salah (32) with the most goals scored in a single 38-game Premier League season.
Amidst City's busy fixture schedule and with one eye on next week's Champions League second-leg tie with Bayern Munich, Guardiola opted the ring the changes in the second half, bringing off Haaland and Stones at half time, while Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish were also withdrawn after the interval.
However, the heavy rotation evidently unsettled Guardiola's side and Leicester attempted to trigger a surprise comeback, with former Citizens striker Kelechi Iheanacho pulling one back to set up a somewhat nervy final 15 minutes.
James Maddison was at the centre of a few late chances for the Foxes, but the hosts managed to hold on for all three points to move them to within three points of league leaders Arsenal.
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Guardiola has admitted that his City side looked vulnerable against Leicester following his decision to make five second-half substitutions.
"In general we played really good," Guardiola told reporters via mancity.com. "Especially after a Champions League game and with another Champions League game next week – we started really, really well.
"Often after a game like Bayern, there is rotation but in my experience in previous seasons, if you rotate a lot of the team, the levels drop a lot.
"We made two or three changes. After we conceded, we struggled a lot – always when there is a lot of substitutions at the same time we struggle.
"We have to do it better because if Leicester scored another goal, I don't know what might have happened – football is unpredictable. But the way we played in general, I am really satisfied."
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City now embark on a run of three successive games in three different competitions which ends with what has been described by Guardiola as a "final" against Premier League title rivals Arsenal on April 26.
"We have to win, win and win", Guardiola added. "Arsenal have done incredibly well this season and I don't think they are going to drop many points and what we have to do is be there.
"It was important for us to win today to arrive in the final we have against them in our next Premier League game."
Before locking horns with Arsenal, City travel to Germany for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Bayern next Wednesday, with the Citizens leading 2-0 from the first leg.
Guardiola and co – who have won 10 games in a row across all competitions – will then face Sheffield United at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals next Saturday, four days before their top-of-the-table clash at home against Mikel Arteta's side.
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